won't do it. good evening, americans and welcome to "the ed show" tonight, from new york. these stories on the table and hit my hot buttons at this hour. glenn beck is calling me out? challenging me to restore honor at the one nation rally on october 2nd? here i am fighting for the middle class, talking up the stories, hoping for the american dream. this isn't about a fake prophet looking at geese. this is about getting the american people back to work and firing up the base. my commentary on all of that coming up. and big insurance. well, they are back at it. they are threatening your children. they are denying coverage for sick children to save a buck and the republicans are cheering them on from the sidelines. the story just has me fuming. we will with talk about it. and the republicans, well, they always preach about listening to the generals.

well, the chairman of the joint chief of staff says gays should be able to serve openly in the military but today, just another big shocker. senate republicans bucked military leaders and voted to obstruct. another filibuster. and we have got breaking news out of the white house tonight, a shakeup in the obama administration. larry summers, the director of the national economic council is leaving the obama administration to return to harvard university. senator byron dorgan will respond. this is now the third person to leave off the economic team. big story. this is the story that has me fired up tonight. the hate merchant across the street has october 2nd on his radar screen. glenn beck is squawking about the one nation rally that i will be speaking at on the steps of the lincoln memorial. beck released this statement. 8/28 was an historic event for a lot of americans. i hope that ed schultz, the afl-cio, jon stewart, steven colbert and whoever else wants to plan a march in d.c. will have the same great success we

had with restoring honor. all right. now, hold the phone on this one. this is the guy that has been on record saying that violence will come from the left. what in the hell is he talking about? is he trying to get all the players on record here is this supposed to be big setup? first of all, beck, you did not restore any honor. you were a phony where you should not have been a phony. beck, let tell you something, 10/2 will be a great success because this is a well-defined mission to offer hope and motivation to a hell of a lot more americans than your phony religious rally. the one nation rally was created to protect american jobs, education and our economy, not to give exposure to a multimillion dollar tv talking head or a made for tv wannabe presidential candidate. that's not what this is about. and the people that view this show and that will attend that march, some 300,000-plus, know exactly that.

americans are frustrated with the hate being pumped out of the right-wing noise machine. and now pretty much it has paralyzed spineless politicians in washington. some of the frustration is starting to turn on president obama openly. a supporter said this to the president. i have been told i voted for a man who said he was going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. i'm one of those people and i'm waiting, sir. i'm waiting. i didn't feel it yet. >> didn't i say something the other night about the confidence has been shaking the base? another member of the audience has asked a question that has been drilled by the right-wingnuts on radio against the president. >> it feels like the american dream is not attainable to a lot of us. and i really want to know, is the american dream dead for me? >> how in the world do you answer that? it feels -- it feels -- this is the same wall street garbage that has been thrown out there as to why we can't create jobs. let me give you this for an answer.

how about $30 billion to community banks around the country loosen up the credit lines, get lending going and let small businesses thrive? well, of course, the republicans have been against that, too. so you see, the american dream isn't dead but it was on life support for a while with, because, you see, the republicans regain power, they are ready to pull the plug to on damn near everything president obama has been able to accomplish. i'm doing everything in my power to stop them and that's why with i will be there october 2nd. hundreds of thousands of americans will flood the mall on october 2nd and join the fight to keep the american dream alive. and it will be more than a feeling. there's facts and figures to go along with everything that's gonna be said from this broadcaster. every american deserves equal shot at a quality education, which, of course, they are against across the street. they hate public education. how about the chance to have a good job here in america, not outsourced? you know, home-grown stuff?

and how about that good old affordable health insurance policy that every american family should have? they were against reform. beck and his followers want to destroy that dream. they claim to care about liberty and freedom and the constitution. they always hide behind that generic statement, well it is the constitution. is it? the one nation march isn't about a theory it is about reality and what americans are facing. more americans are worried about their jobs, their family and the roof over their heads than ever before because of the obstruction. we are behind the 8 ball right now because we have had to deal with republicans. people don't have time for games anymore. this is life and death stuff. at least if you listen to the voices on my radio show, because one mother talked about how her job was outsourced and she just happen to know her secretarial friend that was writing the bonus checks to the ceo who got millions.

those stories are out there and that lady will join me on this program tomorrow night. you see, we are really at a moral crossroads in america. are we going to keep helping our fellow man or are we going to surrender to the republicans and their billionaire puppet masters? are we going to surrender? doggone it i'm back at it again, i'm asking you tonight, are you going to quit, like sarah palin quit? no. we will be there. tell me what you think in our telephone survey tonight. the number to dial is 1-877-ed-msnbc. my question tonight is do you think the gop and righty talk show hosts are destroying the american dream? press the number be 1 for yes. press the number 2 for no. we will bring you the results later on in the show. joining me now is minnesota congressman keith ellison, a member of the progressive caucus. congressman, good to have you with us tonight.

>> always great to be here, ed. how are you doing? >> very good. you have been a verbal target of the broadcaster that is challenging me to restore honor. how do you -- is this a big game, in your opinion? >> well, i don't think it is a game. i think it's serious because things that glenn beck says whip up hate and frustration. there was a man in lower manhattan who was a cabbie, he was stabbed when someone asked him what his religious identification was. and a part of the thing that i'm concerned about is cultural and political leaders are trying to whip up and turn americans against americans based on religion and i think that's really too bad. that's why i think your one nation march is a great idea, bringing americans together, race, class, religion, ethnicity, income, we are coming together to reclaim the american dream. i think it is great. >> will democrats in the halls of congress, the progressives, pay attention to october 2nd? >> we are fixated on it. i mean this is one of our big hosts, man. we are looking to get the base pumped up and energized because we know that without majorities, you know, nancy pelosi becomes

the minority leader. we have ranking members, we have a chair go to ranking members. we can't tolerate this. we can't allow it to happen. the republicans have done too much damage to this economy to give them back the driver's wheel. we have to rebuild the middle class and that means we need to restart majority. we need to fire up the base. >> congressman, i got to ask you, 260 obstructions over on the senate side. let's total it up at 99 bills that have been filibustered by the senate after you guys in the house have done, what over 200 bill? >> over 200. well over 200, but we passed great bills, bills to help small business lending get going, bills to try to put teachers to work, bills to make sure americans can get unemployment insurance and they are fighting against these things. they are talking about deficits and all this kind can of stuff but ready to give $700 billion back to the richest americans and they don't even want to give a few billion back so people can have some unemployment insurance

and keep some teachers in the classroom this is hypocrisy of the highest order, ed and i think do you right for calling them out but we got to get this place engaged because, you know what the people are the ones who ultimately make the decision. and coming out and getting involved and being jacked about the chance for this country and the middle class and we got to excite people around. >> congressman ellison, we will see you on october 2nd, great to have you with us tonight. >> you will. >> mike papantonio, host of the ring of fire radio show tonight, nationally syndicated. i have to get expert analysis here, because glenn beck seems to be wishing us luck, mike. how do we take that? >> be afraid. be very afraid. look, his idea of honor is very different from ours there is no honer in economic collapse caused by republican. there is no honor in the fact that we now have more people living under the poverty line. actually that number grew under the republicans, than any time in history. there is no honer in shipping jobs out of the country. now, glenn beck may think that

is honorable but the average american doesn't. if progressives do what we are supposed to do and show up october, here's what -- october 2nd, here is what is going to happen that media fabrication, the tea bagger tithe tidal wave we have been led to believe is taking place in america is going to be shown for what it really is, and a tea bagger trickle. the people who show up at this progressive get-together for labor, for people who understand that they are fighting for the last america, the last rights of america, to hold things together after being hammered by republicans for eight years, the people who show up there won't be fraudulent protesters. they won't be paid for by the coat brothers. they won't be paid for by the republicans. they really the patriots who care. if they we let the republicans keep the keys to the car, they will drive us into the ditch again. they did it for eight years. the labor unions, the patriotic progressives are there understand that is what is going to happen, things get worse if we don't get vocal.

the 1% of the wealthiest americans who now own 70% of america's wealth, soon going to turn into 90% of america's wealth. the ratio of executive pay to labor pay is right now 500 to 1. for every $1 an american worker makes, an executive makes 500. that developed under george bush. the tea baggers want to take us back there. glenn beck wants to take us back there. they want to take us back to an america where we didn't have health care, where the environment wasn't important, where workers' rights weren't important. they want to take us back to an american where the judiciary is completely a lap dog for corporate america. that's what the republicans did for us for eight years. so what do we do? we have a choice here, ed. we can either talk the talk or we can show up, we can spend the $500 that it is probably going to take to get there, we can show up and we can make sure that joe barton from texas, who actually had the audacity to

apologize to bp after they destroyed an ecosystem, after they killed 11 people, that joe barton doesn't take over the energy committee, as he will if the republicans gain control. that john boehner, the empty suit tan man doesn't run government. that jim inhoff, who says that global warming is a hoax and we should not pay any attention to global warming that he doesn't take over the senate environmental committee that jeff sessions from alabama who said at one point that the kkk is an honorable organization, doesn't take over the judiciary. ed, this is the line in the sand. if anybody can do it you can get them out there. i know you will. and if they go there to listen to you, they are going to walk away inspired and we are going to show up in november and progressives are going to do what we are supposed to do and take back this country. >> mike papantonio, thank you so much. you are a brother in the fight. thanks so much. we will do it again. thanks, mike. >> thank you. christine, the teenaged witch with, she is in hot water. get this, folks, a watchdog group says she is a criminal. the person trying to throw her in jail joins me in the playbook tonight.

and all of a sudden, the sexist drugster is defending his ladies. he has a date with me in the zone. all that, plus i find it beyond disgusting that the heartless insurance industry companies are denying your kids coverage. my commentary ahead of that and the battleground story. you are watching "the ed show" on msnbc. stay with us. [ female announcer ] sometimes you need tomorrow to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm.

with a couple of weeks to go, i am seeing midterm angst. harry reid is coming under fire from inside the party on what to do or whatnot to do? what is his winning hand? senator byron dorgan sounds off on that and the most breaking news a change on the economic team in the white house. that is next "the ed show" on msnbc. stay with us.

welcome back to "the ed show." thanks for watching tonight. harry reid represents gambling -- the gambling capital of the world. and with six weeks until the midterms, it's up to him to decide what issue the democrats should bet the house on and bet the senate on, okay? now, the senate tried to move forward today on don't ask, don't tell. and of course, the republican senators unanimously threw defense spending under the bus in order to vote against gays in the military. that vote also derails the dream act, which would give immigrants a path to citizenship if they served this country in the military. democratic leaders want to force a fight on the bush tax cuts for the rich but conservative democrats are already threatening to break with the party and go with the republicans. so, what can reid do?

he is in a position where the democrats are in the final stretch drive before the midterms? does it make a difference? let's bring in senator byron dorgan from north dakota. we will talk about the agenda and taxes for a moment. but i have to ask you about the latest breaking us in tonight. larry summers, the director of the national economic council, has announced his resignation, he is leaving and going to go back to harvard university. this is number three. if we could just see, as the bailout crowd is happening, peter orszag is gone, the budget director. also, christina romer is also out. and now larry summers announcing today. nator, what does this mean? >> you know what, ed, i don't think it is particularly surprising. i know it is big news, but frankly, a year and three quarters in this presidency, it is not unusual that at this time, toward the end of this year, people start leaving. these are 24/7 jobs, tough jobs. so, i'm not particularly surprised that this president will retool now and bring in some new people, but today's announcement wasn't a particular surprise to me.

>> it's no -- no correlation between a struggling ecomony? could this be a shift in direction on how to get the country back to where it needs to be? >> well, this may really try some new things with respect to the economy, but let me make a point. this economy wasn't brought downs to the knees overnight. i mean, this took a couple of terms of the bush administration to bring it to its niece and this president inherited the economy. everybody should remember. this the moment before he took off, this country lost 700,000 jobs and now at least starting to see some brought back but not going to happen overnight it is a slow, long recovery and the president wants a way to prime the pump and stimulate this economy. >> there is going to be a lot of basers out there, liberals say maybe this is a shift in

direction in economic policy and the president actually wants to do more, where summers has been somewhat conservative. what about that? >> but not particularly surprising there would be a shift in the economy. first, tough save the economy. first you had to, you know, save it from complete collapse. second, you begin a rebuilding process and you try to find out what works, what doesn't. one thing to understand is none of us have been here before. there is no economist or politician ever walked in these wood, this is a very different time. i know the president going to reach up, bring in some new people and we need to figure out what do we do to put this country back on track? >> senator there is a poll out there by cnbc and after a very hot debate about the bush tax cuts, the most important issue facing the country, 4% of americans say it's taxes. it's jobs and the economy 42, spending, and deficit, the health care and taxes.

so, why have the democrats done such a poor job of just pushing back on the rightist on the other side of the aisle when they are saying the top 2% can save this economy with more tax cuts? >> obviously, the right has a pretty big microphone out there but we are trying to. i would say to those that believe that the most important thing for our country is to give additional tax cuts to the wealthiest americans, don't ever lecture us about deficits again. you want to given a additional trillion of deficits to saddle the american people with so you can give $80,000 a year tax cuts to somebody that makes $1 million at a time when we have a $13 trillion debt? are you nuts? don't ever give us lectures again about deficits. >> senator, about the dealt and tax cuts, why don't the democrats just say we are going to let the bush tax cuts expire and we are going to start all over and we are going to do even better for the middle class? wouldn't than good political strategy? >> could you do that and we have a very short time between now and the election that the discussion is whose taxes are going to increase? but let's remember also how this got set up.

it was george w. bush who decided they should expire at the end of this year. all of them should expire at the end of this year. so, that's why we are in this fix. this isn't something of barack obama's doing or the congress's doing. george w. bush says let's give some tax cuts and have them expire at the end of 2010 with. >> senator byron dorgan, great tough with us tonight. thank you. >> good to be with you. up next, chivalry must be dead. of all people, the drugster is sticking up for his conservative women. america's top conservative ladies' man bounce his way into the zone next. stay with us w [ female announcer ] doing a little painting with food? you forgot...her glasses. [ female announcer ] bring it. trust new bounty. in this lab test new bounty extra soft leaves this surface 3 times cleaner than a dishcloth. super soft. super clean. new bounty extra soft. in the pink pack. [ male announcer ] an everyday moment can turn romantic anytime. and when it does, men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready

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joining me now is wendell potter, senior fellow at the center for media and democracy.

he's the author of the forthcoming book "deadly spin." mr. potter, good to have you with us tonight. >> thank you, ed. >> who is doing it, and what are they doing? >> well, the insurance companies are showing their true colors. soon after the president signed this bill into law, they were tripping over themselves to -- as part of their pr charm offensive to say they'd be accelerating one part of the bill, to be sure they were covering young people up to the age of 26 on their parents' policies, which the new law requires. that will take effect this week. that was -- they're not even making good on that promise. what we're seeing now is what they're doing is showing that they have the interest of wall street more at heart than they do the young people of this country. >> so does the bill have teeth? what can the government do? what can the congress do? the law has been passed and now you've got complete defiance by

these insurance companies. >> the democrats need to point to this as -- to remind voters, frankly, of the importance of passing this bill in the first place. we needed to rein in this industry. this industry is dominated by a cartel of big insurance companies that are more beholden to wall street than they are to us and to our own children. >> you know, i expected the fight back, but i didn't expect them to go after the preexisting condition. at this voter value summit, this is mike huckabee. i thought he was a preacher, but this is what he said about preexisting conditions. >> it's such a warm message to say, and we're not going to deny anyone from a preexisting condition. okay, fine. then let's do that with our property insurance. and you can call your insurance agent and say, i'd like to buy some insurance for my house. he'd say, tell me about your house. well, sir, it burned down yesterday, but i'd like to insure it today.

and he'll say, i'm sorry, but we can't insure it after it's already burned. well, no preexisting conditions. >> doesn't that pretty much speak volumes of where they are, mr. potter? >> it does. shame on him for making that analogy. we're talking about human lives here, not property. we're talking about the lives of our children here. and that's just -- that's astounding that he would do that. first of all, let's take a step back and look at the health care system we have now. we have a system that really penalizes people when they get sick. the very people who really need to have insurance and who need care are often the very people who can't get it. >> the legal recourse here, it sounds like it's limited at this point. i mean, you say that congress, the democrats ought to go out there and make the case to the american people, but, you know f i break the law, you break the law, there's ramification. here are big insurance companies not adhering to a law that was passed. what is the ramification? >> the only ramification is that

they have to -- at least on thursday begin adhering to the law. the only thing that we're -- the thing we should learn from this is you cannot trust these companies. do not believe anything they're saying. we have a very evil system and a system that -- that these companies really can't do the -- the morally correct thing. >> mr. potter, good to have you with us tonight. congratulations on your book. you're a truth-teller. i appreciate your time. >> thank you, ed. big shake-up in the obama administration. larry summers, one of the president's top economic advisers, will leave the white house by the end of this year. summers, a controversial figure, especially with many liberal activists. for more, let's bring in joan walsh. joan, the list is now three. orzaug, roamer and now larry summers. what does this mean, if anything, in your opinion? >> well, you know, christina romer was a friend of a more

aggressive response to our ongoing recession. summers was too close to the banks and a little bit too conservative around the idea of a second stimulus. you know, two out of the three people who are leaving have been somewhat more conservative than we hoped the president is. ro romer, not so much. it gives him an opportunity to send a different message, to learn from the mistakes from the first half of his term. the perception mistake and some of the policy and reality mistakes that he really bailed out the people who got us in trouble while the rest of us are still struggling with the results of a crashed economy. >> we all know how liberals have been pushing for elizabeth warren to have a role in financial reform with her hawkish view of protecting consumers. >> right. >> both she and summers have beened a odds. summers also against helping out the auto industry. summers also light on the fact

that, well, the bonuses that went to these big executives. >> right. >> he damn near defended it. >> yes. >> is this a victory for liberal groups out here? adam green saying that those people who voted for change, this is the change they can believe in. this is a big victory for anyone who voted for change in 2008. what do you think? >> i think it's a good thing. i like adam. i don't know. i don't have the facts yet, ed, as to why he's liebing. i don't know that -- maybe he's kind of getting a nudge. he may not be. but i think that whatever the reason, i think it gives president obama a chance to reassemble an examiconomic team that's more aggressive in dealing with the banks, more aggressive in dealing with unemployment and in job creation and perhaps a second stimulus. and really listening to the problems that he's been hearing out on the campaign trail so eloquently from some of his supporters. >> another story out there

today, a big one, yet another filibuster, another gridlock in washington. don't ask, don't tell. the republicans are questioning the timing of the vote. your thoughts on this. i thought the republicans were masters at listening to the generals in the field. the top military commander in this country was for don't ask, don't tell, but we can't get any republicans to get on board with it. >> john mccain said the same thing years ago on msnbc, that he was going to listen to the generals. the time has so clearly come, ed. the fact that they, you know, 60 is the new 50 and they can tie this up and prevent this from happening. you know, it will happen. it's a matter of time, but it's hugely depressing for people who just want to serve their country and help out with, you know, a very tough international situation, who are facing discrimination and even our -- our top military leadership has come around, but our republican senators, not so much.

>> john walsh, thanks so much. >> thanks. let's get rapid fire response from our panel on these stories tonight. republican senators thumb their nose at america's military leaders blocking the chance for an up or down vote on don't ask, don't tell. and a conservative columnist caught by attention saying that the tea party is a reaction to all those elected republicans who are voting with democrats. with us tonight, bill press and michael medvev. i bet we have 10 million listeners between the three of us. >> you got it. >> gentlemen, let's play this sound bite. this is admiral mullin on don't ask, don't tell. >> it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. >> bill press, i thought the righties always listened to the generals in the field. that's the top guy in uniform in this country. why can't we get a vote on don't ask, don't tell, a favorable

vote? >> hey, look, this is really sad. the american people are all for this right now. the military leadership is all for this. not one republican would vote for it today. forcing those men and women who are willing to put -- want to put on the uniform, put their lives on the line, defend our country, forcing them to live a lie. it's a bad policy. this is a bill clinton policy. it's long time to go. the other thing is this was -- it's not just that this was a bad vote. this was a filibuster again. as joan just pointed out, this was not a vote on the policy. this was a vote to vote, which i think makes it all the more clear we've got to change the rules in january to limit the use of the filibuster. >> so much for those old up or down votes, huh, michael? what do you think? >> listen, this was not an up or down vote on don't ask, don't tell. this was on up or down vote on trying to insert it into a

defense authoriruization bill we it doesn't belong. if the democrats care so much about these reforms, why not introduce them in the middle of your term? toward the beginning of your term, as bill clinton tried to do, why not go ahead and have this as an open debate rather than sticking it in five weeks before an election in a cynical ploy to try to arouse the base -- >> what about that, bill? >> here's the thing. here's the thing. a weak excuse. there's always an excuse for not doing the right thing. it's right to get rid of don't ask, don't tell. no excuses. >> why are we having -- >> okay, why not -- why not wait for the -- >> go ahead, michael. go ahead. >> why not wait for the stoif z certificati certification. you're supposed to get certification from the heads of the arms services. >> admiral mullin didn't wait for the certification. admiral mullin says it's wrong.

that's a weak excuse. do the right thing. >> we all three know that sooner or later there will be a change in policy. >> why not have it now? >> the military needs the personnel. >> right now, the question is with congress running up to an election, they have to pass an authorization bill for defense. and why not, by the way? i had dick durbin on my show, who is a sponsor of the dream act. there is one aspect of the dream act that we all support, which is if someone was brought here -- >> michael, you -- michael, for you to question the timing of a vote after george bush took air force one back to washington to pass a special offer for tarry schiavo, talk about special circumstances is gone. i've got one more thing we've got to talk about here. it changes a lot. cal thomas, a conservative writer, put this out. he says, conservatives -- and one of the reasons why the tea partiers are getting support, he says conservatives are tired of

being taken for granted. their agenda ignored by the republican establishment, especially when those they vote for to get in power and too often vote with democrats. tell me, michael, how many -- how many republicans have come and voted with the democrats in the last 22 months? >> okay, i don't know what cal is talking about. there were eight republicans who voted -- eight out of 177 in the house who voted with the president on -- >> this is about the senate. this was about the senate. his talk was about the senate. >> and there are very few republicans who have voted with the president. i actually think that president obama's greatest achievement as president has been to unite the republican party. what's that? >> cal thomas is trying to create the image that he sends all these republicans to washington and they vote with the democrats. >> i don't think he's -- >> hey, ed. >> i think he's making a mistake. >> let me get in here, ed. they're moving the goal posts.

that's the problem. this is not conservatives throwing moderates out. this is the right-wing fringe throwing conservatives out. bob bennett of utah had an 84% conservative voting record. >> gentlemen, got to run. bill, michael, great to have you with us tonight. >> all right. coming up, it's a witch hunt. christine o'donnell is a criminal. the person cracking the case joins me with the shocking details next.

do you new england the -- think the gop and the righty talk show hosts are destroying the american dream? again, the number to dial, 1-877-ed-mnz.

tonight, a watchdog group thinks christine o'donnell is a criminal.

citizens for responsibility and ethics in washington filed complaints alleging o'donnell's misuse of more than $20,000 of campaign funds. the organization's executive director said christine o'donnell is clearly a criminal and like a crook, she should be prosecuted. ms. o'donnell has spent years embezzling money from her campaign to cover her personal expenses. thieves belong in jail, not the united states senate. o'donnell responded to the accusation last night. >> why are you listening to a liberal organization in the first place? they're scared that the person that harry reid called his pet is not going to get this seat. the momentum surrounding this campaign is obvious. that's why they're creating baseless -- >> specific -- >> i am confident that we have been ethical. we have not -- i personally have not misused the campaign funds. >> joining me now is melanie sloan, executive director for citizens for responsibility and ethics in washington.

she wants o'donnell prosecuted. melanie, what specifically did you find that concerns you? >> well, we found that she repeatedly used campaign funds for personal use. particularly in 2009, she had march and april rent payments that were made out, checks made out to a guy named brent basher, her landlord. those were rent payments and she called them expense reimbursements. that's one example of the many expenses ms. o'donnell claimed to be campaign expenses but were really just expenses of her lifestyle. she had no other income, so she was treating her campaign account like it was her personal piggy bank. >> and this happened in 2009? >> 2009 and 2010. >> okay. >> and ms. o'donnell had really no oversight. there was no campaign treasurer as the law requires for over a year and a half, so she had a -- a wachovia bank card that she whipped out whenever other people would use their debit

card. >> who do you have sworn statements from to back up this allegation? >> we have a sworn statement from david keegan a former campaign staffer for ms. o'donnell back in 2008. and in addition, there was another person, a campaign manager, who made recorded calls the night before the election or the week before the election, another conservative who talked about the -- the problem with o'donnell routinely using campaign funds for personal use. and at the same time, not paying her campaign staff. >> what do you say to those -- well, that sound bite that we just played of her, was she lying? >> she was lying. but what do you expect her to say now? yeah, you caught me, i was stealing campaign money? >> and when you look at the way she has handled this, how sure are you that you're going to be able to get a prosecution here and that authorities will respond to this complaint? >> well, you can never be 100% sure that the department of justice, which doesn't have an amazing track record recently of taking on public officials, you can never be sure.

but certainly there's enough evidence that they ought to be looking at this and the fec, the federal election commission, has to start an investigation because we've sent a complaint there. so sooner or later, people will be going through ms. o'donnell's campaign finances with a fine-toothed comb and they'll find out how much she's been stealing. today she threatened to sue crew and i welcome such a suit. then we'd be in -- we'd get to go through her campaign finances. we would bring that out to the american people. >> melanie, you're an attorney. you got her dead in the water? >> dead in the water, ed. >> thanks for being with us tonight. up next, i refuse to give up on my mission to help the 99ers. nearly 40 million unemployed americans are not getting any help and they need it to survive. [ female announcer ] you use the healing power of touch every day. ♪ now the healing power of touch just got more powerful.

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let this story go away. the 99ers. we have an election coming up. we have, what, over 10 million unemployed people in this country, 3.8 those are people who have had their benefits exhausted. many of them are frustrated. they feel politically left behind. and now a group of them are saying that they will be 99ers, me no votes. mignon veasley-fields joins me now.

she is a 99er and is part of this group. mignon, thank you for joining us tonight. >> thank you. >> isn't this un-american to stay out of the voting process? you can lose a lot of things but not your vote. why are a group of you going down this road and promoting that all 99ers do this? >> we're frustrated with congress. we're so frustrated with them. we have called, knocked on doors, e-mailed, tried to meet with the representatives. we can't get to congress or the house of representatives. we have to go through their people. we try to meet with them in their officers. they don't show up. we have tried to send letters to our president, who has never acknowledged us. we're frustrated. and the only power that we have left is a power of our vote. they've taken our homes, our cars, our children cannot even get new things to wear to school. we're worrying about christmas, about whether we'll have a place to live. the shelters are booked. we can't even get into shelters. and so, therefore, we have had

it. we need for congress to listen to us. we hired them. we voted them in. and we expect them to do their job. we expect them to vote for senate bill 3706, which is the americans want to work act. if they don't do that -- >> so you feel politically disenfranchised to the point where you're not going to be part of the process and the conventional wisdom is this is going to hurt the majority party. you're okay with that? >> well, i don't feel good about not voting. i've been voting for almost 40 years of my life. but this is the only tool, the only power that we have now, ed. we are going to be asking our families, five of our families, five of our friends, not to vote. we'll ask them to ask five of their family and friends not tos were to have more seats and more support that it would be easier for job creation and to help those who are falling on hard times. >> well, ed, that may be true,

but we have lisntened and we've watched hearing after hearing. we've watched harry reid and nancy pelosi not even try to get their committees and their -- their congress back in order in order to even bring the house bill to the floor. right now, the bill is in the senate committee. it is just locked away. it was never intended to come out. >> you really think there will be millions of people that won't vote? because the democrats can fix this before october, can they not? >> yes, they can fix it. all they have to do is to pass this legislation. >> all right. >> that's all we're asking. they will win. i guarantee you they will win. >> mignon veasley-fields, i appreciate your times tonight. thanks for joining us. tonight, i asked do you think the gop and righty talk show hosts are destroying the american dream. 93% of you said yes. 7% said no. tomorrow night, we will have a 99er on the program who says